Air Quality Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, 1990-2009

 The report presents emission inventories for the constituent countries of the UK for the period 1990 to 2009, for the following priority Air Quality (AQ) pollutants:

• Ammonia (NH3)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Nitrogen oxides (NOX as NO2)
• Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)
• Sub-10 micron particulate matter (PM10)
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
• Lead (Pb)

The key points for Wales are:

• Emissions of all seven priority air quality pollutants decreased between 1990 and 2009.
• Ammonia emissions decreased by 44 per cent, from 46.9(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 26.2 kilotonnes in 2009, compared to 22 per cent across the UK as a whole. Agriculture, the predominant source of ammonia emissions, has seen a large decrease.
• Carbon monoxide emissions decreased by 66 per cent, from 638(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 214 kilotonnes in 2009, a major contributor of which is the decline in emissions from transport sources. Furthermore in Wales, the iron & steel industry currently contributes
  37 per cent of carbon monoxide emissions, however emissions from this sector have decreased by 56 per cent since 1990.
• Nitrogen oxides emissions decreased by 51 per cent, from 164(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 81 kilotonnes in 2009. Power generation and transport are major sources of nitrogen oxides, both of which have seen decreases in emissions since 1990.
• Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds emissions decreased by 66 per cent, from 136(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 46.1kilotonnes in 2009. There have been large reductions in emissions from road transport sources.
• Sub-10 micron particulate matter (PM10) emissions decreased by 52 per cent, from 19.3(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 9.3 kilotonnes in 2009. Heavy industry plays a greater part in PM10 emissions in Wales than any other UK country and since 1990 there has been a 58 per cent reduction in PM10 emissions from industrial activities.
• Sulphur dioxide emissions decreased by 83 per cent, from 187(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 31.5 kilotonnes in 2009. In 2009, petroleum refineries were the main source of emissions in Wales, accounting for 42 per cent of all SO2 emissions.
• Lead emissions decreased by 92 per cent, from 0.14(r) kilotonnes in 1990 to 0.01 kilotonnes in 2009. This is less of a reduction than the other UK countries due to the above average concentration of heavy industry within Wales.

(r) Emissions for all years are recalculated annually using the most recent methodology.

Further information

National Atmospheric Emissions Industry (NAEI) website

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 5063
E-mail: stats.environment@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

October 2012 (provisional - to be confirmed on the 'Due Out Soon' page)